1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of non-destructive testing, in particular of conduits of industrial plants such as oil refineries, in the chemical industry, processing industry, etc. It relates to a device and a method for the non-destructive testing of objects according to the preamble of the respective independent patent claims.
2. Description of Related Art
With the testing of pipes in oil refineries, at present, frameworks are set up in order to make X-ray photographs of the pipes. Film plates and X-ray radiation sources, from the framework, are firmly connected to the pipe and the framework. As a rule, the operating personnel must leave the framework on triggering photographing. The method is time-consuming and necessitates the standstill of the plant, with correspondingly high resulting costs. This analogously applies to the testing of pipes and containers in other branches of industry.
JP 09-089810 shows an apparatus for the inspection of pipes. The apparatus comprises a motorically driven joint arm or manipulator, which on the one hand comprises a collimator for receiving a radiation source and on the other hand a tiltable holding plate for an X-ray film. For photographing, the joint arm is traversed below a pipe, the X-ray plate set upright behind the pipe and the radiation source transported into the collimator. The device is mechanically complicated and may only be applied in a limited manner.
Devices for transporting a radiation source from a container into a collimator and back are known for example in GB 2 251 047 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,965,761.